Klarinet Archive - Posting 000821.txt from 1997/11

From: SEAN TALBOT <talbotse12@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: professional wind ensembles
Date: Sat, 22 Nov 1997 10:45:00 -0500

First of all I find it unnerving the anti-drum corp feeling and
makes me wonder when was the last time you experienced a modern drum corps.
The importance of the music has really taken center stage over the last few
years. Star of Indiana has left the field and is now a touring organization
and I had the opportunity to see them at a sold out Ravina festival that was
just as packed as the Chicago Symphony concerts held there. It might not be
as professional as some other things but lets face it......it gets people
listening to music. It gets hundereds of kids playing music and many come
out not only with a positive musical experience that they will take with them
the rest of their lives but many are excellent musicians. To say that
drum corps has nothing to do with music shows that a person is not open to
all mediums of music. I do understand that some people don't like brass bands
or even brass quintets as far as their sound but they do have their place.
DCI tried something new this year for their 25th anniversary in which they
held a number of indoor concerts where a couple of corps would play their
sets in a concert setting. There was also peroformances of color gaurds doing
dances that Bob Fossy would be proud of. All of it showed the true artistry
of Drum Corps. Someone just calling it a marching competition should really
take a look at it with new eyes. I can smell the smoke of the flames comming
my way but so be it. I get lucky very soon that I have a Satuday comming up
where I get to play in a Drum Corps style marching band, an orchestra, and an
excellent wind ensamble all in the matter of about 4 hours....and I am going
to love all of it I will tell you now.

Sean Talbot
Universtiy of Wisconsin - Whitewater